Then You Look At Me
by boshrocks
Summary: Fluffy little one-shot. Very Dasey. It's Derek's 21st birthday and Casey's planned a surprise for him. I do not own the song...Celine Dion does. reviews are always welcome


Derek stared at Casey in shock. Slowly he ran his eye down her body and then back up again.

This wouldn't do at all.

She looked back innocently, but with a teasing smirk longing to break free. She was dressed in a red and black velvet strappy top that was very Moulin rouge, and a very mini black leather miniskirt. She finished the look with knee high black leather high heeled boots and large red rose hairclip.

To celebrate Derek's twenty-first birthday they, and a lot of their friends, were going to a special club that she and her girlfriends weren't telling. Casey had planned it all and he wasn't allowed to know what it was but was assured that he would love it.

Derek felt his breathing getting heavier and turned away from her and dashed into his room in their shared flat. For the past five years he had been feeling something for his stepsister that definitely wasn't PG rated. And he still hadn't told her how he felt.

"Derek, are you ok?" Casey asked knocking on his door gently.

"I'm fine." He managed.

"Well don't be too long, ok, we have to leave soon and I can't be late."

"Why?"

"You'll see."

Casey had definitely changed since they'd come away to college. She took risks, was hugely confident, tried new things, learnt to play the guitar, and seemed to have awakened her sexuality at last. Since they had decided to come to the same college and had finally become friends, took three years but it was worth it, they shared a small flat because George paid the rent and this way was cheaper.

Someone knocked on the front door and Derek heard Casey go to answer it. By the squeals he guessed it was her best girlfriend Nattie. Some things never changed. In her own way she was still a dork.

He came out of his room to see them whispering conspiratorially in the doorway. The most noticeable thing about Nattie was always her hair. She changed the colour all the time; today it was purple to match her top.

His best friend Sam was leaning against the wall just inside the house waiting, and looking bored. Occasionally he shot amused looks at the girls who just giggled on. Sam lived with his girlfriend Nattie a floor below.

"Please tell me you know what they've got planned?" Derek asked him as he put on his leather jacket.

"No clue whatsoever."

"Ooh, great you're out. Come on. Time to party." Casey said beaming at Derek and making his heart flutter. She grabbed his hand and her coat and dragged him out.

"Where are we going?" he asked her half an hour later as they walked the dark streets.

"Almost there. I promise." She smiled up at him, her arm linked with his.

She stopped them outside a neon flashing door which had the name 'Friday Fools' above it in neon lights.

"Friday's Fools?" Derek asked.

"Uh-huh. This is your party."

"Evnin' Casey, Nattie." The large black bouncer said cheerfully letting them in.

"Been here before then?" Sam asked accusingly.

"You could say that." Casey giggled as the coat girl kissed her on the cheek as they handed over their coats. "Hey Tam, is everyone here yet?"

"Yup, everyone's in. They've been waiting for you."

"Cheers. Alright Derek, you stay here and one of the girls will come and get you. Sam you can go through." Casey pointed to the swing doors. Sam shot Derek a puzzled look and went through them. Casey and Nattie then went through another door which was marked PRIVATE.

Derek shared a look with Tam, who grinned and chuckled. After a few minutes one of Casey's friends dressed similarly to Casey and Nattie came through the PRIVATE door and told him to come in.

She led him through the swing doors and all of his friends called out a cheery Happy Birthday. The room looked like a strip club except all the chairs and little tables were pushed back out of the way leaving room for dancing.

There was no sign of Casey. And the T shaped stage was hidden by a stringy silver curtain.

"Alright everyone," Casey's voice said over a microphone. "I think it's time to get this party started, don't you?" crowd cheered. "I'll take that as a yes then. So, Friday's Fools would love to introduce you to Angelfish. Hit it Angels!"

The silver curtain swept aside as the opening bars of Too Cool For School by Fountains of Wayne started. The lights came up revealing Casey leaning against the strippers pole.

"Happy birthday D." She said coolly before kicking into the song. Angelfish turned out to be a band, comprising only of girls. Drummer, bassist, guitar, keyboard, backing singers and lead singer. Nattie was on the guitar and Casey was obviously the lead singer.

She and the backup singers danced while they sang, Casey using the pole almost expertly. The crowd cheered and applauded, dancing along and laughing, Derek with them.

Angelfish were really good and they had just enough sexy attitude to get a guys motor running. As Derek watched Casey performing round the pole he began to suspect that it wasn't her first time on it.

They went on to play Love It When You Call by The Feeling, Ever Ever After by Carrie Underwood, No Average Angel by Tiffany Giardina, Fool For Love by Steffy and Dangerous Type by Letters To Cleo.

As Dangerous Type came to a close Casey looked down and smiled kindly at Derek. She was panting slightly.

"Alright, guys, you all having a good time? Great. Now I'd like to turn things down a little, with a special tribute to our very special birthday boy. Old we may get but some things will never change. You may not want to hear this, since it's coming from me, but there's something I have to tell you. I couldn't possibly have the strength to tell you when its just us, so I'm going to let Celine Dion tell you, and hope that you get the message." She sat on the edge of the stage before Derek and sang so sweetly and with so much passion burning in her eyes that Derek felt his heartbeat quicken.

"Laugh and cry  
Live and die  
Life is a dream we're dreaming

Day by day  
I find my way  
Look for the soul and the meaning

Then you look at me  
And I always see  
What I have been searching for  
I'm lost as can be  
Then you look at me  
And I am not lost anymore

People run  
Sun to sun  
Caught in their lives ever flowing  
Once begun  
Life goes till it's gone  
We have to go where it's going

Then you look at me  
And I always see  
What I have been searching for  
I'm lost as can be  
Then you look at me  
And I am not lost anymore

And you say you see  
When you look at me  
The reason you love life so  
As lost I have been  
I'll find love again  
And life just keeps on running  
And life just keeps on running  
You look at me and life comes from you. From you."

Everyone was silent, watching Derek's reaction. For a moment his face was impassive, then he smiled warmly. He reached out and took one of her hands as it rested on her thigh. She looked down at their clasped hands.

"How long?" he asked quietly.

"Since the wedding. I tried not to, even dated your best friend. But while I was dating Sam, all I wished was that I was dating his best friend." She almost whispered, but because of her radio mike everyone heard it clearly.

Derek put his hand under her chin gently and raised it so she was looking into his eyes. "You're an idiot. You really are. If you'd said something earlier."

"I didn't have the guts."

"Case, you're the bravest person I know."

"Not when it comes to my heart." She looked down again. Then she smiled and her head snapped up again. "Enough sap. Girls, kick it up a notch." She got to her feet and went back to the pole.

Derek couldn't believe it a moment later when the opening bars of one of his D-Rock songs was started by Angelfish. Casey smirked at him as she sang We Said It Was Over. Derek exchanged looks with Sam who had tears in his eyes as he laughed.

After that the band joined the party as music came up over the stereo system. Derek however got up on the stage. Several of their friends watched him approaching Casey as she took off her radio mike and laid it on one of the drums.

He tried not to look at her butt as bending over raised her miniskirt. He gently reached out and pulled her hair out of her face and laid it on her back. She looked back over her shoulder at him and smiled shyly.

"Case, there's something I have to tell you, since we're being honest tonight." He said tenderly. He took her hands and straightened her up. "You've no idea how hard life's been for me since you came into my life. I had to restrain myself all the time, which for a teenage boy is no easy feat. I had to content myself with fighting with you everyday, just to get you to look at me with any kind of passion. Every time I kissed a girl I imagined it was you I was kissing. Every night I dreamt of you, just as you are. Infuriating, maddening, wonderful girl that you are."

She laughed slightly tearfully. "Earlier you said I was the idiot, when really, we both are. Because you fought with me I thought you hated me, and because I thought that, I had to guard my heart and try to harden it against you, try to fight back with as much vigour as you fought with me. It wasn't hard. Only you can get under my skin. Only you could force yourself into my head and worm your way into my heart. You drive me mad, and you like it."

Derek reached out and stroked her cheek slowly. "Case, someday we've got to face facts that we're meant for each other. Like Lizzie Bennet and Mr Darcy."

"I'm Darcy."

"I'm the guy. I'm Darcy."

She giggled. "Derek, I think that day is today." With that she threw her arms round his neck and kissed him with as much passion as she could muster.

"Well it's about damn time!" everyone in the room shouted together, making them break apart. Casey laughed and buried her face in Derek's shoulder while he told the room to "Get stuffed."


End file.
